explaining_errors_in_star_trekfandomcom-20200215-history
Judgment
In the Archer's trial by the Klingons '' |image= |series= |production=40358-045/219 |producer(s)= |story= Taylor Elmore and David A. Goodman |script=David A. Goodman |director= James L. Conway |imdbref=tt0572221 |guests=J. G. Hertzler as Advocate Kolos, Granville Van Dusen as Klingon Magistrate, John Vickery as Prosecutor Orak, Daniel Riordan as Duras, Helen Cates as Klingon First Officer, D.J. Lockhart as Klingon Cell Guard and Danny Kolker as Klingon Rura Penthe Guard |previous_production=The Crossing |next_production=Horizon |episode=ENT S02E19 |airdate=9 April 2003 |previous_release=The Crossing |next_release=Horizon |story_date(s)=Unknown (2152) |previous_story=The Crossing |next_story=Horizon }} =Summary= Captain Archer finds himself in the witness stand of a Klingon tribunal where he's charged with both aiding rebels opposed to the Empire and of attacking a Klingon ship. In his cell, under the pretext of needing to be checked for contagion, Archer is visited by Doctor Phlox, who gives Archer an update that efforts to have him released are under way. Archer tells Phlox to relay a message, that no matter what the outcome, Sub-Commander T'Pol will leave orbit and keep the Enterprise's crew safe. In the chamber, the prosecutor, Orak, faces off against Archer's advocate, a veteran of the courts named Kolos. Orak calls as his first witness Second Weapons Officer (formerly Captain) Duras to testify—a process in which Archer is not allowed to interject. Duras then relates a biased tale of himself confronting a belligerent Archer, who insidiously fires on the Klingon ship first. Archer cannot hold his tongue, and is quickly silenced with pain sticks by the tribunal guards. Back in the cells, Kolos is tasked with offering Archer a deal. Rather than plea bargain, Archer insists that Kolos actually work harder to put up a valid defense. In response, Kolos relates how the judiciary used to be about the law and honor, but more recently the warrior mindset meant that victories became the accepted norm. Kolos re-enters the court and advocates for Archer's right to testify based on an archaic judicial charter. Archer is permitted to relate his tale of helping the neglected refugees and merely damaging the Kingon warship, giving Kolos the chance to relate the numerous times Archer has helped the Empire in the past. Archer, however, is still found guilty and is sentenced to life on the Klingon dilithium mining planet of Rura Penthe. Kolos protests, and is himself sentenced to a year at Rura Penthe. Meanwhile, T’Pol uses irregular back-door diplomatic channels and bribes to arrange to get the captain back. Kolos remains, deciding to obey the law he has served for so long with honor. Nit Central # Trike on Thursday, April 10, 2003 - 11:41 am: The story ended with a surprising number of unanswered questions. Among them: Why were no other members of Enterprise taken into custody? For that matter, why wasn’t Enterprise destroyed? Darth Sarcasm on Thursday, April 10, 2003 - 1:27 pm: I believe there was a reference to the fact that Klingons agreed not to try the entire crew, just the captain. # What did happen to the refugees? Darth Sarcasm on Thursday, April 10, 2003 - 1:27 pm: I don't think this was particularly important. The episode was about Archer being put on trial for his defiance of Klingon law, not how he managed to help the refugees. Presumably, Archer helped them get away from Klingon space. # And what about the discrepancies between Archer and Duras’ stories? Why did Duras needlessly embellish his version?: Darth Sarcasm on Thursday, April 10, 2003 - 1:27 pm: First, as we saw in ST6 and even the way Orak played to the gallery, Klingons like embellishments. The courtroom wasn't about finding the truth. It was a show trial. Duras was dishonored. He wanted to make sure his version sounded really, really good. # Why say Enterprise fired first? Duras would have needed no justification for firing first. Darth Sarcasm on Thursday, April 10, 2003 - 1:27 pm: As I said previously, Duras was trying to paint Archer as a villain. # Why say his warp engines were incapacitated? According to Archer’s version, it wasn’t possible that Enterprise rendered them inoperative. Darth Sarcasm on Thursday, April 10, 2003 - 1:27 pm: Same thing. Propaganda. How much honor do you suppose Klingons would find in condemning an innocent man? Or a wuss? # How was Archer able to understand the Klingons? In STVI, Kirk and McCoy held speakers to their ears to hear the translation. But here, Archer didn’t appear to have any form of translator. Darth Sarcasm on Thursday, April 10, 2003 - 1:27 pm: Kirk and McCoy's Universal Translators were confiscated in ST6, according to Kirk. Perhaps Archer's wasn't, so he had no need for a Klingon translator. It's possible that the confiscation of UTs became a practice later on. # More annoying, sometimes words were left untranslated for dramatic effect. Are we supposed to believe the Klingons were talking in English for Archer's benefit? Darth Sarcasm on Thursday, April 10, 2003 - 1:27 pm: No. But simply that certain words are either not translatable (like curses) or beyond the range of what the UT translates (the gallery chanting). # When Archer admits he fired on Duras’ ship, the prosecutor says that Archer also is guilty of committing an act of war against the empire. So why didn’t he charge Archer with that before the trial? Darth Sarcasm on Thursday, April 10, 2003 - 1:27 pm: Because at this point Orak was trying to dismiss Archer's testimony. Since Archer was basically defending his position by suggesting Duras acted without honor, Orak felt he needed to undermine him. # LUIGI NOVI on Thursday, April 10, 2003 - 1:29 pm: When Kolos enters Archer’s cell in the opening scene of Act 2, Archer holds up his plate and asks Kolos what it is. Kolos, standing several feet away, and not missing a beat, says, “Targ.” Kolos can identify a hunk of meat from several feet away in a darkened room? Is targ the one and only animal eaten for its meat in the Empire? Or in its prisons? ScottN on Thursday, April 10, 2003 - 3:21 pm: 1. Archer and the plate appeared to be in a lighted area. 2. It was a piece of meat on the bone. If a Klingon had a chicken drumstick, and asked you what it was, wouldn't you be able to identify it across the room? 3. Perhaps targ is the common meal in this prison. As an advocate, Kolos would know. # After the Vor’tas fires on the Enterprise during the flashback seen in Act 3, Reed says that hull plating is at 80%. Does he mean that one fifth of the hull plating is gone? I think he meant to say that the hull’s polarization field is at 80%.Darth Sarcasm on Thursday, April 10, 2003 - 2:51 pm: Yeah, but "hull plating" takes less time to say. # Anonymous on Friday, April 11, 2003 - 2:22 am: What are the odds of two Starship Enterprise captains being tried in a Klingon Court????? LUIGI NOVI on Friday, April 11, 2003 - 3:12 am: Since the flagship is always at the forefront of exploration, and will often be the point ship during tensions with a hostile neighbor, I wouldn't think the odds very unlikely. # Keith Alan Morgan (Kmorgan) on Friday, April 11, 2003 - 5:32 am: Archer says, "We fought three world wars that almost destroyed us." So that leaves, at least, one world war that didn't destroy Earth. Was it World War I, World War II, the Eugenics War (identified by Spock as a world war), or World War III? LUIGI NOVI on Friday, April 11, 2003 - 12:31 pm: I'm not sure I understand the question, but I don't think the Eugenics Wars are considered a "world war" by most humans or the creators, despite what term Spock used. Category:EpisodesCategory:Enterprise